South East Asian Trips

Mingun is a town in Sagaing Division, Myanmar, located 11 km up the Ayeyarwady River from Mandalay,

The main attraction are

Mingun Paya (Pahtodawgyi)

It is one of the famous buildings in the world. The building of Mingun Pahtodawgyi started in 1791. Hand it been completed it would have a height of some 500 feet. It was stopped at 162 feet height. Its girth is about 450 square feet. This is Pondawya Pagoda which is prototype of Mingun Pahtodawgyi. You can study Myanmar arts and crafts of Kongbaung period in Mingun Pahtodawgyi. King Bodawpaya built Mingun Pahtodawgyi aiming to worship from Shwebo in the distance where he has ascended the throne. The pagoda was left unfinished. Two enormous prominent statues of lions in Mingun, one of the tourist atttractions is at the east stairway of Pahtodawgyi which faces the Ayeyawaddy river.From here, you can also enjoy natural scenic beauty of Ayeyawady river and green and pleasant Minwun hill. If this pagoda been completed, then it would have been the largest monument. This unfinished structure was badly damaged with cracks by the earthquake of 1838 but it is still the largest brick base in the world.

Mingun Bell

King Bodawpaya has a gigantic bell cast to go with his huge stupa. The Mingun Bell weighs 90 tons, or 55555 viss and is today the largest uncracked, ringing bell in the world. Mingun Bell is situated right next to the Mingun Pahtodawgyi. King Bodawpaya dedicated to construct a gigantic Pagoda, a gigantic bell and a gigantic lion during his reign. But he was not able to complete the pagoda.

King Bodawpaya dedicated a big bronze bell near the Mingun Cedi at Mingun on the west bank of the Ayeyawaddy River, facing Mandalay. The Bell was made of bronze; but it is said that Buddhist devotees inserted gold, silver ornaments and jewellery into the bronze. The Bell measures eleven cubits and four thits (fingers) in diameter at its mouth; 33 cubits, one mit (6 inches) and four thits in circumference and 13 cubits, one mit and four thits in height. It weighs 55555 viss.

It is the world's biggest ringing bell.

Hsinbyume or Myatheindan Pagoda

It is also known as Hninbyume Pagoda because it was donated by the Hsinbyume Princess, who was one the Queen of King Bodawpaya. It is just next to the Pahtodawgyi.

Built by King Bagyidaw in 1816, three years before he succeeded Bodawpaya as king, the pagoda was constructed in memory of his senior wife the Hsinbyume princess. It is built as a representation of the Sulamani Pagoda which, according, to the Buddhist plan of the cosmos, stands atop Mount Meru. The seven wavy terraces around the pagoda represent the seven mountain ranges around Mount Meru. This pagoda was badly damaged in 1838 by a quake but King Mindon restored it in 1874.